Health min meets scheme beneficiary

In a first, a patient falling under the below the poverty line category has undergone heart transplant under the state government's organ transplantation scheme free of cost.

Under the scheme which was launched in January, five beneficiaries have availed kidney transplants from the Institute of Neprhourology, Victoria Hospital, while this is the first heart transplant.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare B Sreeramulu visited Sanjay Hosamani, 36, the first to undergo heart transplant under the scheme at Narayana Health. The recipient hails from Jamakhandi taluk in Bagalkot district.

The donor is a 28-year-old man from Periyapatna in Mysuru district. He met with an accident and was declared brain-dead on August 15. His organs were harvested on August 16.

Officials with the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) say the recipient must be from the below poverty line category and the transplant cost is covered completely. Dr Manjunath, a member of SAST, said Rs 1 lakh would be provided to the patient towards post-transplant medication.